Drip feed device



Feb. 2, 1965 A. RIOS 3,168,224

DRIP FEED DEVICE Original Filed March 6. 1961 INVENTOR, fiRMA/voo R/os14M 14. gm,

A TORNEY United States Patent 3,168,224 DRIP FEED DEVIQE Armando Rios,H26 88th Ave, Oakland 21, Calif. Continuation of application $er. No.93,573, Mar. 6, 1961. This application Aug. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 3il2,7643 Qlairns. (5. 222-381) The invention relates to a liquid-deliverydevice which utilizes a gravitally self-righting tilt basin which isdesigned and mounted for its alternate disposal to receive and dischargesuccessive like charges of liquid accumulated in the basin at a constantflow rate from a source of the liquid at an automatically timedfrequency determined entirely by the rate at which the liquid issupplied, and this application comprises a continuation of my priorapplication Ser. No. 93,573, now abandoned, which was filed on March 6,1961.

The present device has been particularly designed and developed for usein the automatic and periodic Watering of live plants, and a primarypresent object is to provide a liquid-delivery device of the characterdescribed which is particularly arranged and adapted for its cooperativeinstallation and use for intermittent and adjustably timedplant-watering operations.

Another object is to provide a device of the character described whichis particularly arranged for its operative installation in unitaryassociation with individual plantgrowing containers such as indoor oroutdoor plant boxes and fiower pots.

A further object is to provide a particularly simple and effectivestructure and mounting for the self-righting tilt basin of the device.

An added object is to provide a unitary assembly of the characterdescribed in which the drip source comprises a refillable liquidreservoir for gravitally supplying a constant liquid stream to anadjustable drip faucet or valve discharging into the tilt basin as theliquid source therefor.

A general object is to provide a device of the character described whichis adaptable for providing the intermittent timed and spread dischargeof measured quantities of a liquid from a constant supply stream thereoffor various useful purposes other than the watering of plants.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in thefollowing description of a typical embodiment thereof, and in theaccompanying drawings, in which,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective showing of a unitary assembly embodying thefeatures of the present drip feed device as supportedly mounted on therim of a receptacle which is arranged to receive liquid for itsperiodical discharge from a tilt basin of the assembly.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the assembly of FIG- URE 1, with certainelements shown in section.

In general terms, the present drip feed assembly is provided on amounting standard 5 which supports a supply container 6 for the gravitydischarge of liquid from its reservoir space 6' into a horizontallyextending pipe 7 terminally mounting an adjustable valve to provide adrip discharge of liquid from the reservoir into a tilt basin or tray 9.As illustrated, the basin 9 is tiltably carried on the standard 5 and isdisposed above a liquidreceiving plant-growing soil area which isprovided by soil S in a receptacle it) which may comprise a flower potor the like containing seeds or plants to be periodically Watered, withthe present standard being particularly shown as mounted on the rim 1dof the receptacle 19 in fixed relation thereto.

As particularly shown, the supply container 6 is of the cylindricalfruit-jar type and is supportable in inverted ice position on a closurecap 11 threadably and sealably engaging the jar at the tubular neckportion 6 thereof, while the cap is replaceably fixed to the top of thestandard 5 in a suitable manner. In the present arrangement, thecontainer-carrying cap is shown as supported on the standard 5 by theuse of a clamp band 12 having outwardly-directed and spaced opposedterminal cars 12 thereof connected by a bolt 13 which extends throughand between spaced parallel cars 14 provided at the top of the standard,and utilizes a wing nut 13' for facilitating a mounting and dismountingof the water-containing capped jar with respect to a fixed clamped-onrelation thereof to the standard. The pipe 7 has one end thereof rigidlyattached to one externally threaded arm 15' of an elbow fitting 15 bymeans of a suitable pipe coupling 16 and extends radially of thecontainer axis, and the other exteriorly threaded arm 15" of the fitting15 is engaged through an interior opening of the cap top 11' and issuitably held in fixed sealed relation to the cap top 11 at said openingby and between clamp nuts 17 and 17" mounted thereon.

Noting that the arms of the elbow fitting 15 define a plane which isparallel to the upright longitudinal line of the supply container 5, thecap-supported valve-carrying pipe 7 is freely disposable generallyhorizontally through an upright slot 18 extending in a flat upperportion 5 of the standard 5 from its top and between the support ears 14to provide for a ready mounting and dismounting of the liquid supplyassembly of which it is a part. The drip valve 8 is supportablyconnected to the pipe 7 by means of the pipe coupling 16, andessentially comprises a generally cylindrical valve body 19 whichaxially and threadably carries a valve needle 21 having a stem portionextending outwardly from the body in sealed relation thereto andmounting a knurled head 21 for use in adjusting the functional relationof the needle point at its inner end with respect to a valve seatprovided in a flow passage provided in the body and connected with theduct of the pipe 7 through the engaged pipe coupling 16 whichsupportably connects said valve body with the pipe. Intermediatelythereof, the valve body 19 is provided with an open discharge passage 22which extends axially in and along the needle-receiving bore of the bodyfrom the valve seat and to the duct of a downwardly-directed dischargenozzle 22 for delivering water from the opened valve 8.

Understanding that the reservoir space 6', which is jointly provided bythe cavity of the container 6 and the passages provided by the describedconnections between the carrying cap 11 and the valve body 19, must bevented to the air in order to permit a discharge of liquid therefromthrough the opened valve 8, an air vent tube 23 is provided inconnection with the space of the container 6. As particularly shown, thetube 23 extends freely and axially through the space of the arm 15' ofthe elbow fitting 15 from its sealably mounted engagement in a normallyopen air inlet port 23' provided in the bend of the fitting, it beingunderstood that the open port 23' is constantly operative formaintaining atmospheric pressure above the liquid remaining in thereservoir space d as the Water escapes from the drip valve.

When the supply of liquid in the reservoir space 6 is to be renewed, thepresent liquid supply assembly, comprising the unitarily connectedelements between and iricluding the reservoir container 6 and the pipe 7and drip valve 8 jointly provide a liquid-supply unit which may bereadily dismounted from the upper part 5 of the standard 5 bydisengaging the bolt 13 from the ears 12' and 1 of the clamp band 12.and the upper standard part 5' respectively, and then moving the pipe 7of the unit upwardly through and from the slot 18 of the standard.

The dismounted said liquid-supply assembly 6-7-8 may then be disposedwith the neck portion 6 of the container 6 directed upwardly for aremoval of the cap 11 therefrom to open the receptacle thereat forreceiving a renewing charge of the liquid in the reservoir space 6.Subsequently, the container 6 and the cap 11 may be sealablyreconnected, and thereafter, with the valve 8 preferably fully closed,the reassembled unit is disposed with the cap beneath the container, forits appropriate remounting on the standard 5, or another originalsupport.

The structure of the present tilt basin 9 has a triangular prism outlineof uniform cross-section having like parallel triangular ends 26 whichare provided with exterior sockets 27 which simultaneously receivecoaxial and mutually inturned trunnions 28 extending from the sides 29'of a generally U-shaped bail-like one-piece member 29 fixedly mounted onthe upper standard portion 5. The member 29 is relatively rigid, and isso mounted on the top standard portion 5 that the line of the trunnions28 may be horizontally disposed to define the tilt axis for the basin 9.In the present structure, an intermediate portion 29 of the element 29is parallel to the axis of the terminal trunnions 28 and is clampedlyfixed to and against the standard top portion 5 by means of a clampblock 31 mounted on the flat standard part 5 by a bolt 32 extendingtransversely therefrom and providing a crossgroove 33 at the facethereof opposite said standard part for clampedly fixing the centralportion of the bail part 29 within said groove and against the opposedface of the engaged standard part; in this manner, the bail is supportedin rigidly extended relation from the standard for its adjustment aboutthe fixed axis of the standardmounted bolt 32 for fixedly disposing thetilt axis of the basin defined by the trunnions 28 in horizontalposition independently of the particular fixed disposal of the mountingstandard with respect to the vertical.

It will now be noted that the basin 9 has an open upper side and thatthe opposed closed and angularly related side walls 34 and 35 of thebasin are flat and make acute angles at opposite basin sides with aplane through the trunnion axis and substantially bisecting the angle ofthe sides, with the wall 34 furthest from the supporting standard havingits top edge 34' straight and horizontally disposable whereby a tiltingof the filled basin to lower the wall edge 34' for a spilling of thebasin contents thereover will advantageously distribute the dischargedliquid in sheet form in a line along the receiving surface of soil Srather than at a single application point. Essentially, the distributionof weight of a basin 9 is such that the basin will be tilted for anemptying of its contents over the top edge 34 of its side wall 34 onlyafter the liquid in the basin space 9' has reached a predetermined levelsubstantially at the top of the basin space.

In the illustrated assembly, the sides and ends of the present basin 9are integral parts of a V-trough basin structure having its ends andsides of uniform thickness and of like material, with its side 35 ofless height than its side 34 whereby the latter side is slightly heavierthan the former. Also, the present basin mounts a suitable weightelement 37 along its bottom edge 36 defined at the juncture of its sides34 and 35, for stabilizing the position of the basin in neutralequilibrium prior to its tilting for discharging its contents from overthe edge 34' during a basin-emptying swinging movement in which thebasin tilts sufficiently to dispose its side 34 in downwardly slopingrelation to the bottom basin edge 35 for fully discharging its contents,and then promptly and positively swings back to its originalliquid-receiving position.

For mounting the present standard 5 on the tubular rim 10' of thereceptacle 10, a lower standard portion 5 is provided at its sides withflange portions 38 having edges arranged to engage along the exterior ofsaid rim at circumferentially spaced points thereof, and a clamp strap39 of adjustable operative length is engageable about the rim and thestandard portion 5 at the position flanges 38 t fix the standard to therim 10' as a mounting means for the standard. The present standard ismost conveniently arranged to be cut and formed from an initially fiatblank comprising a strip of suitable bendable material providing in theupper standard part 5 the cars 14 and the opening for the bolt 32 whichsecures the basin-supporting member 29 to the standard.

In order that the present standard 5 may mount the water-supplying unit25 in such a position that the waterfilled tilt basin 9 may dischargeonto the soil in the mounting receptacle While the supply container isofiset from over the soil area provided within the receptacle, thisstandard is formed with an appropriate intermediate ottset part 5connecting the standard parts 5' and 5" and which, in combination withthe possibly variable length of the pipe 7 from the container 6 to thenozzle 8, provides for the most advantageous line of discharge of waterinto the receptacle rs from the tilted basin 9. It will, of course, beunderstood that the upper standard portion 5' of the present standardmight be mounted on support legs or might comprise the upper part of astake for driving into the ground at outdoor locations as comprising anobvious alternate means for mounting the container 6 and the basinsupport member of the watersupplying unit 25 in cooperative wateringrelation to plants.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the advantages of the present drip feed device will be readilyunderstood by those skilled in the art to which the inventionappertains. While I have shown and described a structure and operativearrangement which I now consider to comprise a preferred embodiment ofmy invention, I desire to have it understood that the showings areprimarily illustrative, and that such changes and developments may bemade, when desired, as fall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a unit for intermittently watering a plant-growing area, thecombination with an otherwise closed watersupply container having anunderlying closure element sealedly and dismountably carrying thecontainer and providing an interior discharge opening, a variablypositionable support standard adapted for its fixed upright disposaladjacent the plant-growing area, an adjustable drip valve, meansunitarily connecting the drip valve with the discharge opening of theclosure element in fixed relation thereto for a free drip discharge ofthe water from the valve at an adjusted rate, means removably mountingsaid valve-carrying closure element on the standard in adjusted relationthereon to provide for'an inversion of the dismounted valve and closureunit and a subsequent removal of the closure from the container toprovide for a renewal of the water supply in the container and a sealedremounting of the closed container on the standard, means associatedwith the connection for the drip valve providing an air inlet to theclosed container space, a selfrighting tilt basin for gravitallyreceiving successive basintilting charges of water from the containerthrough the adjusted drip valve, and means independent of theclosuremounting means mounting the tilt basin on the standard in suchadjusted relation to the drip valve that successive tilting actuationsof the basin are adapted to gravitationally deliver successive chargesof the water from the tilt basin directly upon the plant-growing area.

2. In a water-dispensing unit for intermittently watering aplant-growing area, the combination with a watersupply containerproviding a discharge opening in its bottom, a rigid supporting standardadapted for its fixed upright disposal adjacent a receiving point forthe discharged water, means mounting said container on said standard infixed relation thereto, an adjustable drip valve, means connecting thedrip valve with the discharge opening of the container in fixed relationthereto for a free 5 gravity discharge of the liquid through the valveat an adjusted rate, a bail-carried and self-righting tilt basindisposed beneath the drip valve for gravitationally receiving successivebasin-tilting charges of water from the drip valve and providing astraight spill edge for a direct gravity delivery of Water thereoverupon said plant-growing area,

and means adjustable to adjust the basin-carrying bail on the standardfor a swinging of the basin about a fixed horizontal axis wherebysuccessive tilting actuations of the basin are adapted to deliversuccessive charges of the Water received by the tilt basin from the dripvalve in sheet form and directly upon the plant-growing area 3. In aunit for intermittently dispensing a liquid in sheet form at a receivingpoint therefor, the combination with a liquid-supply container having abottom discharge 5' opening, a support standard adapted for its fixedupright disposal adjacent a receiving point for the discharged liquid,means removably mounting said container on said standard, an adjustabledrip valve, means unitarily con necting the drip valve with thedischarge opening of the container in fixed relation thereto for a freegravity discharge of the liquid from the valve at an adjusted rate, abail-carried and self-righting tilt basin for gravitationally receivingsuccessive basin-tilting charges of liquid from the adjusted drip valveand providing a straight and elongated spill edge, means adjustable toadjust the bail of the tilt basin on the standard for horizontallydisposing the spill edge of the tilt basin whereby successive tiltingactuations of the supported basin are adapted to deliver successivecharges of the liquid from the tilt basin over its said spill edge insheet form to the receiving point for the liquid.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/ 10 Sweden.

LOUIS I. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

HADD S. LANE, Examiner.

2. IN A WATER-DISPENSING UNIT FOR INTERMITTENTLY WATERING APLANT-GROWING AREA, THE COMBINATION WITH A WATESUPPLY CONTAINERPROVIDING A DISCHARGE OPENING IN ITS BOTTOM, A RIGID SUPPORTING STANDARDADAPTED FOR ITS FIXED UPRIGHT DISPOSAL ADJACENT A RECEIVING POINT FORTHE DISCHARGED WATER, MEANS MOUNTING SAID CONTAINER ON SAID STANDARD INFIXED RELATION THERETO, AN ADJUSTABLE DRIP VALVE, MEANS CONNECTING THEDRIP VALVE WITH THE DISCHARGE OPENING OF THE CONTAINER IN FIXED RELATIONTHERETO FOR A FREE GRAVITY DISCHARGE OF THE LIQUID THROUGH THE VALVE ATAN ADJSUTED RATE, A BAIL-CARRIED AND SELF-RIGHTING TILT BASIN DISPOSEDBENEATH THE DRIP VALVE FOR WATER FROM THE DRIP VALVE SUCCESSIVEBASIN-TILTING CHARGES OF WATER FROM THE DRIP VALVE AND PROVIDING ASTRAIGHT SPILL EDGE FOR A DIRECT GRAVITY DELIVERY OF WATER THEREOVERUPON SAID PLANT-GROWING AREA, AND MEANS ADJUSTABLE TO ADJUST THEBASIN-CARRYING BAIL ON THE STANDARD FOR A SWINGING OF THE BASIN ABOUT AFIXED HORIZONTAL AXIS WHEREBY SUCCESSIVE TILTING ACTUATIONS OF THE BASINARE ADAPTED TO DELIVER SUCCESSIVE CHARGES OF THE WATR RECEIVED BY THETILT BASIN FROM THE DRIP VALVE IN SHEET FORM AND DIRECTLY UPON THEPLANT-GROWING AREA.